Completeleopard
New member
No worries Elizabeth, glad it was of help!
Grit
- Thread starter Yuk
- Start date
hmarie186
New member
Hi Yuk! Welcome to GU!
Leopard geckos do not need grit for digestion. I know of which breeder has been saying this and contrary to what they think, reptiles are not birds. They don't consume "grit" to aid in digestion- their digestion is done by belly heat which is why appropriate substrate temps are so important to the overall wellbeing of your geckos. Birds who consume grit have a crop and gizzard to store and utilize it to break hard to digest shells off seeds that they consume, however even they can have impaction problems. Leopard geckos may consume sand if they are low on calcium, or accidentally ingest it from hunting. They do not need it to grind up food in their digestive tract, and it is very much an impaction hazard, however some people still decide to use it. Where leopard geckos are from is more of a rocky terrain and they have very little contact with sandy substances. They do not live in what you and I would typically think of as a "desert", therefore IMO, sand isn't really even a "natural" substrate for them.
My husband and I recently bought our very first reptile from a breeder and prior to doing so we read EVERYTHING on their care and husbandry. We found many viewpoints that conflicted, but we chose to follow information from people who had lots of personal experience and just made sense. I know how scary it can be to deviate from what you were told by the breeder or whoever. I was told to feed only mealworms, to feed a total crap supplement, leave it in the cage 24/7, among other bits of wrong info. The supplement had terrible ingredients not fit for even the critter it was marketed for (not reptiles). This forum is by far the most informative, helpful and caring environment I've found. Everyone here spends hours of their own time to help us new people, and I believe they know a thing or two. My baby is certainly better off because of them.
Leopard geckos do not need grit for digestion. I know of which breeder has been saying this and contrary to what they think, reptiles are not birds. They don't consume "grit" to aid in digestion- their digestion is done by belly heat which is why appropriate substrate temps are so important to the overall wellbeing of your geckos. Birds who consume grit have a crop and gizzard to store and utilize it to break hard to digest shells off seeds that they consume, however even they can have impaction problems. Leopard geckos may consume sand if they are low on calcium, or accidentally ingest it from hunting. They do not need it to grind up food in their digestive tract, and it is very much an impaction hazard, however some people still decide to use it. Where leopard geckos are from is more of a rocky terrain and they have very little contact with sandy substances. They do not live in what you and I would typically think of as a "desert", therefore IMO, sand isn't really even a "natural" substrate for them.
My husband and I recently bought our very first reptile from a breeder and prior to doing so we read EVERYTHING on their care and husbandry. We found many viewpoints that conflicted, but we chose to follow information from people who had lots of personal experience and just made sense. I know how scary it can be to deviate from what you were told by the breeder or whoever. I was told to feed only mealworms, to feed a total crap supplement, leave it in the cage 24/7, among other bits of wrong info. The supplement had terrible ingredients not fit for even the critter it was marketed for (not reptiles). This forum is by far the most informative, helpful and caring environment I've found. Everyone here spends hours of their own time to help us new people, and I believe they know a thing or two. My baby is certainly better off because of them.
